In my mind, nothing will ever top Black Sheep Boy, but with “The Stand-Ins” coming out in a couple of weeks, Okkervil River is doing a good job on challenging that.  Of the songs that I have heard, the production has really come through.  Strings and other instruments make it much more ochestral than normal.  Will Scheff’s vocals as always are very melodic and packed with cunning lyrics.  Whether it can top Black Sheep Boy or not?  You be the judge.

Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines

Preorder Okkervil River’s Upcoming Full-Length “The Stand-Ins” out September 9th

All it took was finding an amazing wallpaper on Google images to look up Grand Island on myspace, and I thank God that I did.  After hearing one song I was immediately hooked and had to hear their other songs.  I guess you could group them with that garage rock genre filled with the Raconteurs and the Strokes and such.  But this band has some serious pop.  Every song has such energy in it.  The vocals are phenomenal and random horns and keys just jump out.  I can’t say enough awesome stuff about these fellows from Oslo.  The song I have posted is from their older album “Say No To Sin”, but they just released a new full-length a few months ago.

Grand Island - Us Annexed

Purchase Grand Island’s New Album Boys & Brutes on Amazon.com